54 MY VINEYAKD. 



Early next spring, a border was made, large enough for 

 two dozen vines. One half of it was prepared exactly as 

 I had prepared the first one ; the other half was trencK- 

 spaded to the depth of sixteen inches. The subsoil was 

 not brought to the surface, but merely loosened. A half 

 dozen j^lants each of Catawbas, Isabellas, Concords, and 

 Clintons, were procured and planted six feet by eight, in 

 such a manner that one half of each kind was on each of 

 the two differently prepared divisions of the border. The 

 Clinton was included in the experiment so as to give it a 

 fairer trial. 



It will not be necessary to give a detailed statement of 

 all the steps taken in carrying forward this experiment. 

 A glance at the results will be sufficient. They were 

 valuable in this, that they served as a guide for future and 

 successful operations. 



During the first year, the vines made a good growth. 

 I gave them pretty much their own com'se, except that 

 they were kept tied up to stakes. There Avas a decided 

 difference in the appearance of the vines on the different 

 portions of the border, those on the manured portion 

 making much the larger and more luxuriant growth. The 

 others, however, ripened their wood much more thor- 

 oughly. The Clintons on the old border, next the woods, 

 appeared more healthy than during the previous year. 

 The vines on the new border were pruned back to two 

 buds, and cuttings made of all the well-ripened v.ood. 



